Hydrangea plant named &#39;keiko&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Keiko’, characterized by its double-type, modified lacecap inflorescences, having light pink-colored sterile florets with a darker pink picotee color pattern, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Variety denomination: ‘Keiko’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Keiko’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inKiryu-shi, Japan during June 2011. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Hydrangea cultivars that have double-type floretswith a picotee flower color pattern and a compact-upright growth habit.

The new Hydrangea cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. Thefemale (seed) parent of the new cultivar is a proprietary Hydrangeamacrophylla breeding selection coded KD10, not patented, characterizedby its double-type, lacecap, medium pink-colored inflorescences, darkgreen-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-upright growthhabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is a proprietaryHydrangea macrophylla breeding selection coded K15, not patented,characterized by its single-type, lacecap, pink-colored inflorescenceshaving a picotee flower color pattern, dark green-colored foliage, andmoderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross-pollination during April 2013 in a controlledenvironment in in Kiryu-shi, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings since June2014 in Kiryu-shi, Japan has demonstrated that the new cultivarreproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Keiko’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, modified lacecap inflorescences, having light        pink-colored sterile florets with a darker pink picotee color        pattern;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in having a picotee flower color pattern. Plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having adouble-type flower.

Of the many commercially available Hydrangea cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Posy-Bouquet Noble II’, notpatented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ fromplants of ‘Posy-Bouquet Noble II’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have florets with a picotee color        pattern unlike plants of ‘Posy-Bouquet Noble II’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a more compact growth habit        than plants of ‘Posy-Bouquet Noble II’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have darker green-colored foliage        than plants of ‘Posy-Bouquet Noble II’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Keiko’.The plants were approximately one-year old and were grown in one-galloncontainers in a poly-covered greenhouse in Kiryu-shi, Japan. Plants weregiven one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Keiko’.

FIG. 2 illustrates an inflorescence with fully-open florets of ‘Keiko’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in May 2016 under naturallight conditions in Iyo, Japan.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximatelyone-year old plants produced from softwood cuttings from stock plantsand grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers in apoly-covered greenhouse in Kiryu-shi, Japan. Plants were given one pinchat transplant. Day temperatures ranged from a high of 97° F. (36° C.) toa low of 43° F. (6° C.). Night temperatures ranged from a high of 77° F.(25° C.) to a low of 25° F. (−4° C.). Greenhouse light levels of 30,000lux to 100,000 lux were maintained during the day. No supplementallighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar Keiko.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea macrophylla breeding            selection coded KD10, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea macrophylla breeding            selection coded K15, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Softwood.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 20 to 25 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 to 35            days.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fleshy, white, NN155D.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching, moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 16 to 18 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 18 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Deciduous shrub,            moderately vigorous, compact-upright.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 5 (−20° F. to −15° F.).        -   Heat tolerance.—Regularly tolerates temperatures as high as            38° C. in the summer.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 45.0 cm. Width: Approximately 50.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances            branching. Quantity of lateral branches per plant:            Approximately 5.        -   Branch.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Length to base of            inflorescence: Approximately 25.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 6.6 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 7.5 cm. Texture of young stem: Glabrous.            Texture of mature stem: Woody. Color of young stem: 144A.            Color of mature stem: 165C.        -   Lenticels.—Quantity per internode: Approximately 50. Shape:            Round to elliptic. Size: Approximately 1.0 mm to 6.3 mm.            Color: N79B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:            Approximately 8. Fragrance: Not detected. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Flat. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Serrated.            Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Length of mature leaf: Approximately 7.0 cm to 9.0 cm. Width            of mature leaf: Approximately 5.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Texture of            upper and lower surfaces: Coriaceous, glabrous. Color of            upper surface of young foliage: N137B and venation 146C.            Color of lower surface of young foliage: 138B and venation            145C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: N137A and            venation N144D. Color of lower surface of mature foliage:            138A and venation 145B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.2 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Seasonal, mid-May to June in Japan.        -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the            plant.—Approximately one month.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal compound corymb,            modified lacecap in form comprised of a center region of            fertile florets surrounded by an outer ring of double-type            sterile florets. Quantity per plant: Approximately 5.            Fragrance: Not detected. Aspect: Facing upward and outward.            Height: Approximately 10.0 cm. Width: Approximately 22.0 cm.            Quantity of fertile florets per inflorescence: 250. Quantity            of sterile florets per inflorescence: Approximately 30 as            double-lacecap type, and approximately 30 as modified from            center.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Rounded. Length:            Approximately 7.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.2 mm.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs. Color:            143A.-   Floret description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Double-type, sterile and fertile            florets.        -   Sterile florets, bud just before opening.—Shape: Flattened.            Length: Approximately 4.5 mm. Diameter: Approximately            3.0 mm. Color: N66A with center of NN155B.        -   Sterile florets.—Depth: Approximately 3.3 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 7.0 cm. Corolla: 3 vestigial structures            approximately 1.0 mm in length and 0.3 mm in diameter.            Diameter: Approximately 1.4 mm. Calyx: Approximately 10 to            15 sepals. Shape: Rotate, cruciform. Diameter: Approximately            7.0 cm.        -   Sepals, sterile florets.—Shape: Broadly ovate. Margin:            Crenate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Length:            Approximately 1.4 cm to 3.7 cm. Width: Approximately 1.0 cm            to 3.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous.            Color of upper surface when first open: NN155B with margins            of N66C. Color of lower surface when first open: NN155C with            margins of N66B. Color of upper surface when fully open: 69C            with margins of 68B. Color of lower surface when fully open:            69D with margins of 68B.        -   Pedicel, sterile florets.—Strength: Strong. Aspect:            Approximately 30° from peduncle axis. Length: Approximately            4.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.6 mm. Texture: Sparsely            pubescent with appressed hairs. Color: 69D with lenticles of            N66B.        -   Fertile florets, bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular.            Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately            2.2 mm. Color: 142B.        -   Fertile florets.—Depth: Approximately 3.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 7.2 cm. Corolla: 0 to 6 petals. Shape: Ovate.            Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Calyx: Up to 3 vestigial            sepals. Shape: Ovate. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.        -   Petals, fertile florets.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 3.3 mm to            6.9 mm. Width: Approximately 1.4 mm to 6.3 mm. Texture of            upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface:            69D. Color of lower surface 142C.        -   Sepals, fertile florets.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 3.1 mm. Width:            Approximately 1.2 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.            Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper            surface: 143C. Color of lower surface 143B.        -   Pedicel, fertile florets.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.            Length: Approximately 2.6 mm. Diameter: Approximately            0.9 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs.            Color: 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Observed in fertile florets.            Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per            floret. Pistil length: Approximately 2.5 mm. Stigma shape:            Round, 3 to 4 lobed. Stigma color: 154C. Style length:            Approximately 1.2 mm. Style color: 154C. Ovary length:            Approximately 1.5 mm. Ovary texture: Sparsely pubescent with            appressed hairs. Ovary color: 144D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Hydrangea has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plantnamed ‘Keiko’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.